Berlin – Fifa secretary general Jerome Valcke Monday dismissed reports that Mohamed bin Hammam had been asked to withdraw his bid to become president of football's world governing boday.
Qatari Bin Hammam, president of the Asian Football Confederation, is standing against Fifa president Joseph Blatter at the election in Zurich on June 1.
In a statement, Valcke said: “Contrary to some current media allegations, I want to make it very clear that neither I, nor anyone else at Fifa, have asked Mr Mohammed Bin Hammam at any point to withdraw his candidature for the upcoming Fifa Presidency election.
“The last time I met the AFC President was at the Conmebol Congress in Asuncion on May 1, where we simply greeted each other. Again, these allegations are totally untrue.”
Blatter, 75, who is seeking a fourth term as Fifa president, is expected to win the vote after receiving backing from most of the confederations.
Meanwhile the Qatar World Cup bid team has hit back at allegations of corruption during its successful campaign to stage the 2022 World Cup.
Allegations that two African Fifa officials were paid 1.5 million dollars by Qatar were “serious, unsubstantiated and false,” a statement said.
Last week, Blatter said Fifa was to hear in person from an alleged whistleblower who had worked for the Qatar 2022 bid organisation and claimed bribes were paid in the World Cup bidding process.– Sapa-dpa